Measuring instrument.



W. E. MEADWELL.

MEASURING INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION man DEC.,18. 191s.

L w fiwn Pateflted Sept. 11,1917.

WITNESSES- ATTORNEY @AEd AFN FFIQE,

WILLIAM E. MEADWEL'L, 0F ITI-IACA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO JOHN O. LITTLE, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

MEASURING INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 11, 1917.

Application filed December 18, 1915. Serial No. 67,630.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. MEAD- WELL, citizen of the United States, residing at Ithaca, in the county of Tompkins and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Measuring.

Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to measuring instruments and more particularly to a propor tional photo-engraving measuring scale.

The primary object of my invention resides in the provision of a scale for measuring photographs, engravings and the like to enable advertisers, catalogue recorders, printers, publishers, etc., to show the other dimension of a cut made from an odd size photograph or drawing when either the horizontal or vertical dimension can be named off-hand. While it is not always necessary for practicable purposes to know both dimensions of the cut ordered, it is desirable in many cases where space in an advertisement, catalogue or other literature is limited and it is desired to set up the type matter in advance of the receipt of the cut and in such cases by the use of my novel scale, the party ordering the cuts can advise his printer the exact size of both sides of the cuts to be sent, enabling the printer to set the type more carefully without feeling that leads may have to be added or removed to care for either larger or smaller cuts than expected.

Another object of my invention resides in the provision of a pair of relatively movable arms and a sliding arm associated with one of the arms, which arm isincidentally normally stationary for cooperation with the other arm.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of the novel means for connecting the relatively movable arms so as to facilitate the maintenance of the said arms in their adjusted position as well as novel means for removably mounting and holding the sliding arm in position the sliding arm being removable at times to permit of the device to be arranged in a compact manner and thereby occupying a minimum amount of space when not in use.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a scale of the type described which can be used for solving simple problems in proportion referring to anything in mathematics so that the said problems can be solved incidentally and read direct from the scale without chance or error as with the ordinary sliding rule now in use, and dividing them for instance into 1000 equal parts or divisions.

A still further object of my invention resides in the provision of a device of the character described that is simple in construction, eflioient in operation and one that can be manufactured and placed on the market at a minimum cost.

Other objects as well as the nature, characteristic features and scope of my invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims forming a part of this specification. I

In the drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the sliding arm showing to advantage the manner in which it is associated with the normally stationary arm as well as the means for maintaining these arms in substantially rigid yet movable relation; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 in the direction in which the arrow points. Referring more particularly to the drawdesignate like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, I provide a pair of complementary relatively movable arms 1 and 2, the arm 1 being provided with a plurality of graduations and being normally stationary when in use.

It is to be understood that these arms may be formed of any desirable material and they are preferably relatively flat in cross section.

A disk like extension 3 is formed integral with and projects from one corner of the arm 2 and is provided with an opening 4. Another disk like extension 5, similar to the extension 3, projects from the arm 1 and is also provided with an opening.- A metallic rivet 6 is passed through the openings in the extensions and has the respective ends terminating in flanges 7 which are arranged in close relation to the outer sides of the extensions and frictionally engaging the latter to consequently facilitate the maintenance of the arms 1 and 2 in adjusted positions. It

is to be understood, as clearly shown in the drawings that the apex of the angle formed by the arms 1 and 2 lies in the opening formed by the hollow rivet 6, the hollow rivet therefore providing a sight opening for facilitating accurate measurements to be calculated, as will be presently apparent.

- Associated with the arm 1 is a sliding arm 3. This arm is formed of a similar material and of the same construction as the arms 1 and 2, although the inner end is enlarged into a rectangular formation as illustrated by the numeral 8. This enlarged portion is bent upon itself as illustrated by the nu- .meral 9 while a free terminal is off-set as illustrated by the numeral 10 and rigidly connected to itself through the medium of rivets or other fastening device 11. By this arrangement it will be observed that an opening 12 is provided, the walls of which are adapted to be arranged in close relation with the outer surface of the arm 1. In order to remova-bly hold the arm 3 in various adjusted positions on the arm 1 I have provided a set screw 13 and removably adjustably mounted the same in a threaded opening 14: in the enlargement 8, the inner end of the screw frictionally engaging the arm 1. The arm 8 is also. provided with a plurality of graduations which extend from the inner side of the arm 1 as illustrated to advantage in Fig. 1 of the drawings. This peculiar manner of associating the arm 3 with the arm 1 permits of the efficient adjustment on the arm 1 as desired.

1 In use, assuming that it is desired to measure'a photograph to consequently obtain a desired half-tone, the scale is placed upon the photograph so that the connecting point between the arms 1 and 2 is arranged, for

instance, at and over the left hand corner of thehorizontal base line of a photograph, said corner being observed through thesight openingprovided by the hollow rivet 6 so thatthe, apex of the angle formed by the arms 1 and 2 will be coincident with said corner. of the photograph or object to be measured. The arm 1 is now arranged along the. left vertical side of a photograph and v the arm 2 is placed perfectly over the corner diagonally opposite tothe connecting point of the arms 1 and 2. It is not necessary-to know the dimensions of the photograph or drawing. If a cut of for instance 1 inches vertical is needed, the arm,3 is moved up or down the arm l'to the 1 inchmark and the arm 2 extends out for cooperation with the arm 3 to consequently indicate the horizontal dimensions of the cut. Fig. 1 in the drawings does not show a photograph but it will be noted that the cut would be 2 and inches vertically and would be 2 inches horizontally.

Although I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention I desire it to be understood that I am not to be limited to the exact. details shown; however, I desire great stress to be laid upon the arrangement of the relatively movable arms,

one of which is stationary and a sliding arm for cooperating with therelatively movable arm for accomplishing the purpose set forth. Attention is also directed to the peculiar arrangement of the arm 3with the arm 1.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it can easily be seen that I have provided a device that is'simple in construction, containing buta few simple partsthat can be cheaply manufactured and assembled and when assembled can be placed upon the market and sold at a minimum cost.

It will be understood that the above description and accompanying drawings comprehend only the general embodiment of my invention and that various minor changes in detail of construction, proportion and arrangement of the parts may be made within armstogether and for providing a sight opening for the instrument, another arm having one end bent upon itself to form a loop, one of said first mentioned. arms being adapted to slidably extend through said loop, and thumb screw threaded in said ljoop portion for securing the slidable arm in ad justed positions. H

2. As a new article of manufacture, an

advertisers device for proportionally meas-' uring photographs, advertisements, and the like, comprising two similar arms eachhaving a straight edge and an opening therein, a tubular rivet extending through the openings in said arms for pivotally connecting them together and for providing a sight opening, the opening in each arm being arranged in alinement. with the straight edge thereof so that the apex of the angle formed for cooperation With the other of said first mentioned arms.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 1n presence of two wltnesses.

WILLIAM E. MEADWELL.

Witnesses:

CHAUNGEY C. NICHOLS, C. R. FERGUSON.

Gopies ofthis patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

